This is Part 9 of a weekly series on my growth and development at a software startup in Austin Texas. Click here to view the full series or start at Level 1.

Sometimes, you gotta getaway to get into it.

Level Nine Stats

Weapons gained:
  • Experience + 2: Each week I juggle new accounts, new issues, and have to find new solutions. Nothing crazy this week, but a continuous process of learning.
  • Connections + 8: Connections this week were random and amazing. I tested out my “meeting new people” skills and went to the park with a friend and invited two random strangers to play Spikeball with us. We were able to have some really good conversation and in the course of this conversation I found out that they are both in sales and both Jewish and born in Israel. Between the two, we were able to keep the conversation going for much longer than an hour. I also went on a 4-day trip with a guy who I met only about a month ago. Talk about getting to know someone fast! Not a lot of connections made but some big ones for sure.
  • Ability + 2: I’m going to give this a two simply because I worked remotely this week and I think this is an ever-increasing ability for me. But I’ll explain in the “knowledge” why I’m not giving it a higher level.
  • Knowledge + 6: I learned a lot about working remotely this week. I didn’t have to work on Thursday because it was the fourth of July, so I decided to go with a friend to Big Bend National Park and since we were both account managers, we thought no problem, we would just find someplace to work remotely on Friday for work that way we could get out of the city further. What we learned is that not all WiFi is created equal and outlets are only easy to find if you don’t need them. Our workday was cut short and was significantly less productive than either of us liked, so we both knew if we do this again we need to plan better what our course of action is to be able to work remotely efficiently and effectively.
  • Discipline – 2: This was a very off week. Since I was only home for Monday-Wednesday, my routines got pretty messed up. I’m ready to get back in tomorrow, but I know I need to make it a priority because if I don’t, lack of routine can become the norm. Tomorrow is a fresh start.
  • Organization + 4: Once again, not work-related, but I was able to plan a trip with someone who before this week was basically an acquaintance, and we planned it in one day. We improvised a bit but without a little bit of planning, it could have been much worse. Work-related planning mostly had to do with working only 3 days at the office and figuring out how to work a full week in the few days I did work. I didn’t do as well as I could have, but I was still able to cram a lot into a few days.
  • Strength + 6: Backpacking this weekend increased my strength in several ways. Physical is, of course, the obvious one, but it also rejuvenated my soul to be able to work in an office again for a couple of months. It strengthened my “office stamina.” I’m fresh and ready to go again.

Kills: I scheduled yet another very important meeting this week with my company’s COO. Not as big as the kill as last week, but still an important kill.

Deaths: Remote working Friday was definitely the death. I was able to put some work in but not nearly as much as I needed. I definitely will be staying late at the office this week so I can make myself feel okay about the time I missed on Firday. I only missed maybe 2-4 hours of work, but I still feel it necessary to make sure I make them up.

Outside the Game

I mostly talked about outside the game everywhere above, so I won’t bore you with more. Outside the game was incredible this week and it made me fresh for the game. I needed to get away and that’s exactly what I was able to do.

Praise.

Final Takeaways

I need to dive in tomorrow and make some serious progress. This week was a definite lull in my productivity so I need to go in tomorrow morning and just start cranking out to do’s.

I’m ready.